Fuel



Patented May 21, 1929.

UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE.

GRANT HAMMOND, OF WHITNEYVILLE, CONNECTICUT, ASSIGNOR TO FUEL DEVELOP- MENT CORPORATION, A CORPORATION OF DELAWARE.

FUEL.

No Drawing.

My invention relates to liquid hydrocarbon fuels for use in internal combustion englues, such as automobile engines and similar engines for other power purposes.

i. My invention relates particularly to improvements in saturated hydrocarbon fuels of the homologous series, such as kerosene and gasoline, but also includes the benzene series.

The object of my invention is to add to these or similar fluids, a substance which will enable internal combustion engines to be operated at much higher temperatures and pressures than heretofore without det- 15 onation or What is known as knocking,

under various atmospheric conditions and at high altitudes as in aeroplane engines.

A further object of my invention is to produce a fuel which will prevent the for- 2 mation of carbon deposits on the cylinder walls and other parts of the engine without producing any deleterious effect on the surfaces in which the fuel comes in contact.

A further object of my invention is to produce a fuel which will be free from poisonous or toxic gases other than the usual products of combustion and one which would not be poisonous or injurious to health in its manufacture.

A further object-of my invention is to produce a fuel which may be easily and economically manufactured without greatly increasing the cost of the fuel over those ordinarily used at the present time in internal combustion engines and one that will give greatly increased mileage per gallon used;

I have found that if commercial ethyl alcohol (180190 proof) be introduced into gasoline and become thoroughly mixed therewith, greatly improved results will be obtained over the use of gasoline and other hydrocarbon fuels without such additions. Ethyl alcohol of 180-190 proof contains, as well known, 10 or cent per cent of water. Ordinarily t e water thus contained in the alcohol prevents the alcohol from becoming dissolved in or thoroughly mixed with the hydrocarbon fuel and precludes the making of a water-white liquid fuel.

As stated in my prior Patent No. 1,570,- 060, issued January 19, 1926, I find that butyl alcohol when introduced to the extent of a small percentage into a mixture of Application filed March 15, 1926. Serial No. 94,965.

gasoline and similar hydrocarbons with alcohol causes the alcohol to immediately become miscible with the gasoline. I prefer, however, to use in addition to these ingredients, a small percentage of glycerine or its equivalent. As an equivalent of either or both glycerine and alcohol I may also use ethylene-glycol, of which the chemical formula is 0 11,. (OH) This latter material partakes both of the nature of alcohol as well as of glycerine but is not volatile as is alcohol. As another equivalent ingredient I may also use methyl alcohol, propinol or other glycols.

As an example of one mixture above mentioned, I take 67 parts of commercial ethyl alcohol, 18 parts of butanol and 5 parts of glycerine. These are mixed together by agitation or any other suitable manner and then introduced into the gasoline to the extent of l or more per cent thereof without resulting in a milky or turbid mixture. Other hydrocarbon fuels ma also be used.

I find that by addition 0 the glycerine, the tendency of the mixture to detonate or knock is still further reduced so that compression in a gasoline engine may be carried as high as 110 to 120 pounds per square inch without detonation and consequently the temperatures existing during compression may be carried correspondingly high.

'As another example of a mixture above referred to I mix 72 parts of ethylene glycol with 18 parts of butanol and a small quantity about 4% or 5% of water. This, when introduced into gasoline to the extent of 3 or more per cent also produces similar advantageous results to those above described As above indicated the addition of 1 to 3% of a mixture of alcohol, glycerine and butanol to the fuel is siifiicient to eliminate detonation or knocking in automobile and similar engines having the usual compressions of the present time but the addition of greater percentages of the mixture up to 10 per cent or more, according to the degree of temperature or amount of compression employed, will eliminate detonation with compressions as high as 110 to 120 pounds per square inch.

The proportions of the mixture of alcohol and butanol, with or without gl'ycer'ine are not critical and more water may be used than is contained in commercial alcohol when found to be efficacious, particularly when saturated hydrocarbons of lower boiling points than gasoline are used. The amount of butanol introduced need be suflicient only to produce complete miscibility of the alcohol and water with the hydrocarbon employed as a. fuel.

What I claim and desire to protect by Letters Patent is:

1. A fuel comprising a light saturated liquid hydrocarbon fuel, commercial alcohol containing from to per cent of Water, butanol to cause miscibility thereof with said hydrocarbon, and a small quantity of glycerine.

2. A fuel comprising a light saturated liquid hydrocarbon fuel having added thereto from 1% to 10% of a mixture of commercial alcohol about 70 parts, butanol about parts, and glycerine about 5 parts.

3. A fuel comprising a light saturated A liquid hydrocarbon fuel having added thereto from 1% to 10% of a mixture of commercial ethyl alcohol about 70 parts, butanol about 20 parts and glycerine about 5 parts.

4. A fuel comprising gasoline having added thereto a mixture of alcoholto parts, water 3 to 10 parts, butanol about 20 parts and glycer'ine about 5 parts.

5. A fuel comprising gasoline having added thereto from 1% to 10% of a mixture of commercial alcohol of from 180 to 190 proof about parts, and butanol about 20 parts.

(3. A fuel comprising gasoline having added thereto from 1 to 10% of a mixture of commercial alcohol of from to proof about 70 parts. butanol about 20 parts and glycerine about 5 parts.

7 A fuel comprising gasoline having added thereto from 1% to 10% of a mixture of commercial ethyl alcohol about 70 parts, butanol about 20 parts, and glycerine about 5 parts.

GRANT HAMMOND. 

